Surface condenser



' Filed August 14,

JNVENTOR. 1 MweilEiTayioa 3% H/S A T RNEY Patented Aug. 3, 1925;

1 UNITED STATES PATENT or r cer NEWELL E. TAYLOR, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 INGERSOLL-RAND CORD PAINY, OI? JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATIDN 02; NEW JERSEY.

' SURFACE CONDENSER.

Application filed August 14, 1925. Serial No. 50,197.

, This invention relates to steam condensers and with respect to itsmore specific features to means forincreasing theeificiency of steam condensers by distributing the steam throughout the length of the condenser in proportion to the specific steam condensing capacity of the cooling surfaces. The invention has for its object to en--,

able steam to be led in an efficient manner to the cooling surfaces in proportionate amounts corresponding to the specific steam condensing capacity of the cooling surfaces. Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawing forming part of the specification and in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts- Figure 1 is a horizontal longitudinal section takenalong the-line 1-1 looking inthe direction of the arrows, of a condenser constructed in accordance with the practice of the invention,,

Figure 2 is a cross section of the condenser taken alon the line 22 looking in the direction 0 the arrows, and

Figure 3 is a cross section of the condenser taken along the line 33 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The condenser is provided with a steam inlet A, an outlet B for condensate, and an outlet C leading from a devaporizer D of any suitable'construction for attachment to a vacuum pump (not shown). Steam entering at the inlet A is adapted to contact with cooling tubes E arranged transversely to the direction of flow of steam entering to be condensed thereby. The tubes E are sup: ported at their ends in, tube sheets F and are supplied with-Water from an inlet head at one end. and discharge their water in to a discharge head H. s

It is understood that as the steam contacts with the tubes E, the water'therein becomes heated before passing to the discharge head H. The temperature of the water in the tubes E will therefore increase as the distance from the inlet head G increases resulting'in varying and progressively increasing temperatures along the length of the tubes E in the direction of the flow of cooling water therewithin. This condition causes that portion of the con-' denser near the inlet head G to have greater steam condensing capacity than portions more remote from the inlet head GP since the specific steam condensing capacity of tube surface decreases in the direction of the warm ends of the tubes, Therefore, as the steam condensing capacity decreases, the steam flowing around the tubes E must penetrate more deeply intdtho banks of tubes before complete condensation of the steam takes place. For this reason penetration of the steam intheusual condenser is much less at the cool tube ends than at the Warm tube ends.

Bythis invention, means is provided to convey more steam to the cooler endof the condenser than to the warm end, and in intermediate portionein'quantities proportionate to their specific steam condensing capacity. To this end the outer 'casing J is formed larger near the cool ends of the tubes E than at'the warmer ends of the tubes to form :steam' lanes orlay-passes around and outside-the 11 per levels of the tubes -,E to the'lower ban s of the tubes E. Preferably the casing J-is tapered'so that the steam lanes K taper from a maximum at the cool end of the casing and graduate to substantially nothing at the warm end of the casing. The amount of steam by-passed about the upper banks of cooling tubes therefore decreases in quantity as the distance decreases from the cool ends of the tubes E. It will be noted that an increase in efficiencyt will be ment in that the steam lay-passed to the low er section of the condenser encounters less resistance; or in other words there is does pressure drop them results if the steam is passed through the narrow passages betweenthe tubes E. In order to operate the condenser efficiently every portion of each tube should contact with steam at a temperature substantially like that existing at the steanr inlet and in the usual condenser to have the relatively large quantity of steam commensurate with the condensing capacity of the amount of steam through the small openings provided and the consequent lowering of the steam temperature. At the warmer end of the condenser the pressure drop is not i so great, for the reason that only a relatively small quantity of steamcan be. condensed no produced by this arrangeat the warm end and the steam velocity is therefore materially lower than at the cold end. This invention therefore tends to equalize the pressure drop or friction head throughout the length of the condenser.

I claim l. A surface condenser comprising an insteam directly to lower tube levels at the cold ends of the tubes than at the Warm ends.

2. A surface condenser comprising an inlet for steam to be condensed, a condensate outlet and an outlet for air and uncon'dcnsable gases, a plurality of parallel tubes transverse to the direction of steam flow for conducting cooling Water and having decreasing specific steam condensing capacity in the direction of water flow therethrough, and a tapered casing about the tubes forming a by-pass for steam to lower tube levels graduated in size from the cool end of the cooling tubes to a minimum atthe warm odds of the tubes.

3. A surface condenser comprising an inlet for steam to be condensed, a condensate outlet and an outlet for air and uncondensable gases, a plurality of parallel tubes transverse to the direction of steam flow for conducting cooling water and having decreasing specific steam condensing capacityin the direction of water flow therethrough, and a casing about'said tubes forming a "larger steam lane at the cool end of the tubes than at the warmer end thereof to conduct steam directly to lower tube levels.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

NEWELL E; TAYLOR. 

